Key takeaways
- A logo’s job is recognition, not explaining everything your business does.
- My process runs Discover, Plan, Design, Refine and Launch, with you involved at each step.
- Strong logos work in black and white and at every size.
- Always ask for vector files and make sure you own the final logo.
- Choose a designer whose portfolio you like and who listens to you.
What a logo needs to do
A logo has a small but important job: help people recognise your business and remember it. It doesn’t need to explain everything you do. A dental clinic logo doesn’t need a tooth, and a bakery logo doesn’t need a cupcake, although sometimes those ideas work beautifully.
What a logo does need is to look right in the places you’ll use it: your website header, a social media icon, a business card, a sign, maybe a vehicle or a t-shirt. Every step of my process keeps those real uses in mind.
Step 1: Discover
Every logo starts with a conversation. I ask about your business, your customers, your competitors and the feeling you want people to have when they see your name. I also ask what you don’t like, which is often just as useful.
If you have colours, fonts or logos you admire, bring them. They don’t need to be in your industry. A logo you love for a coffee brand can tell me a lot about the style you’d like for your accounting firm.
Step 2: Plan
Before drawing anything, I gather references and settle on a direction with you. Is the logo text-only, or does it include a symbol? Modern or classic? Bold or delicate? Agreeing on this first saves a lot of back and forth later.
For the ICE logo I created for a division of Henry Schein, the plan was clear from the start: they wanted a penguin, for a lighthearted take on the acronym. Knowing that early meant the design time went into making the penguin work, not guessing at ideas.
Step 3: Design
I sketch ideas, then build the strongest ones in Illustrator as vector artwork, so the logo stays crisp at any size. I start in black and white. If a logo only works because of its colours, it isn’t strong enough yet.
When I present concepts, I show them in context: on a website header, a business card or a sign. It’s much easier to choose a logo when you can picture it on your storefront.
Step 4: Refine
Once you’ve chosen a direction, we refine it together. This is where the small details get settled: letter spacing, line weights, the exact colours. I also create simpler versions, such as an icon on its own or a stacked layout, for spaces where the full logo won’t fit.
Step 5: Launch
You receive final files for print and web in the formats your printer, sign maker and web designer will ask for, along with your colour codes and fonts. Those become the start of your brand guidelines. My branding tips post explains how to turn them into a simple one page guide.
The elements of a good logo
Whatever the style, the best logos share a few logo design elements:
- Simplicity. It can be recognised at a glance and drawn from memory.
- Readability. The name is easy to read, even small.
- Scalability. It works as a tiny social media icon and on a large sign.
- Fit. The style suits your business and your customers.
- Longevity. It avoids trends that will look dated in a few years.
The Anchor Health logo for an osteopathic clinic in Digby is a good example: a nautical idea that suits a coastal community, kept simple enough to work across the clinic’s website and print material.
Logo design tips and best practices
- Don’t try to say everything. Pick one idea and do it well.
- Limit yourself to one or two colours, and make sure it works in one colour too.
- Choose fonts that will still look good in ten years.
- Check that it reads well in black and white, and on dark and light backgrounds.
- Ask for vector files. They’re essential for signs and large print.
- Get a few honest opinions from customers, not just friends and family.
How to prepare for a logo project
You’ll get a better logo, faster, if you think about a few things before we start:
- Your exact business name, and whether you want a tagline included.
- Where the logo will be used most. A logo that lives mainly on a website and social media has different needs from one that goes on trucks and job site signs.
- Two or three logos you like, and a sentence on why.
- Anything you want to avoid, such as colours your competitors use.
- Who makes the final decision. If several partners need to agree, it helps to know at the start.
Small logo projects can be simple. The text-only logo I created for Belle Vie, a family cottage, needed only a clear sense of the feeling the family wanted. A full identity, like the one I designed for Fulton Real Estate in Fredericton, benefits from a bit more preparation.
Choosing a logo designer
People sometimes ask me what the best logo design company is. The honest answer is the one whose portfolio you like, who listens to you and who gives you proper files at the end. Look at past work, ask how many concepts and revisions are included and make sure you’ll own the final logo. My logo cost guide covers pricing, and you can see more of my logos and brands on the branding service page.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a logo design good?
A good logo is simple, readable, works at any size, fits the business and avoids short-lived trends. It should also work in a single colour.
How much does a logo cost?
My text-only logos start from $300. Logos with custom symbols or a full brand identity are priced by project. The logo cost guide explains what affects the price.
What files should I get from a logo designer?
Vector files (such as AI, EPS or SVG) for print and signs, plus PNG and JPG files for web and social media, along with your colour codes and font names.
Is a logo the same as a brand?
No. The logo is one part of your brand, alongside colours, fonts, photography and voice. See logo vs branding for the full explanation.
